Bobbin tensioning mechanism



Jan. 18, 1949.

. B. CARTER BOBBIN TENSIONING MECHANISM Filed July 24, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l a mi.

Jan. 18, 1949.

B. .CARTER i 2,459,617

BOBBIN TENS IONING MECHANISM Filed July 24, 1945. 5 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UBBN TNSONING Ben Cateif, Bolton, ngland Application Joly 194 .in Great Britain F 5, 06,345 ebruary 28, 1944 9 Claims. (01242-1553 Iinventicm :relates -to the bobbi-n carriers oi braiding and like machines, the bobbins thereby being the source of supply of the wire, thread or like material for introduction into the machines for 'the making of the braided or other goods. l'Iliese carriers include a tensioning device, which rises and falls in a loop of the wire or thread (hereinafter referred to as Wire) as variations occur in the tension of ythe wire, and they also' linclude means `for removing and Are'- bleing the liobbinsquickly.v y.

hitherto known, these `carriers have the tensiondevlce in 'a single loop y'of the wire, 'which means that the height of the lcarriers has to be com'espondingly great, to -allow `rooln for suiiih cient movement of the tension device "as the carriers :pass from vthe inside to the outside of the mohi'ne. Springs lare sometimes employed to increase the tension, but fso large a movement `creates ya wide dliference of tension between the two extreme positlons, making the tension Iunfeven. Moreover, the means for removing and replacing the bobbins has comprised a removable spindle which needs to be drawn #out nii the bobbln axially, and the Withdrawal `:and Ireplace ment of *the 'bobbins has been rendered all the more 2li-moult :by the constant Vpressure of the btekes lwhich bear onthe bobbin ilanges ten siuning devices Again, 'the carriers hitherto have had rthe .guide rollers :on `tile tension device inside the supporting iframe, so that, :in threading up, it has been necessari? tonss the wire'endwise to the rollers. A still ffurth'er dini'- cul'ty with the Known types of rcarriers has been that, when in y with the wire slack, the :natural springiness of the has caused it frequently to 'pass "over the bobbin dodge, 'bl the bobbin, fand it lia-Sheen ecessary to .provide fshields to prevent this.,

fthe 'object rcfr the present invention is teremove the drawbacks attaching` to the fuoristr-uca.

tions referred `Jto iabove.

.According to the invention, 'the 1tension devise adapted to ride man Ieast 'two loops or the wire, so `that its total 'movements Abetween the minimum tension and maximum -ftensicn posi are correspondingly reduced and therefore thence-'al1 height of the `carrier may be reduced, ind s. linnen less variation is brought about `lin the tension due to `the fsaid spring, if insed.

According 'to yanother feature or `the invention uid'e -i'bllers 'for the tension devine are 'are ots'idethe supporting frame, so that 'the may be passed on to them laterally and not necessarily endorse, thereby -fgreatly facilitating tnetnieeaingupiortheamachne.

A further feature :or the invention `comprises the ule'nf on the hobbin place Vof the spindle, and fof a spring' eaten for dromefto non in isdn.,

the minimum' 'tension position.,

able bearings, these being arranged so that 'the normal pull o the Wires Wh-en'lbeingffdrawn off enter rollers in the minimum tension posi` tion 7and grip vthe wire against the roller.

invention also 'comprises a trip .lever for disengaging the friction members rfrom the bon-v bin flange/s, so that the bob'bi'ns may ylie Ireinved and inserted easily, Wit-'hout the operator having' to `str-us'sfl'e with the brakes.

embodiments n a body or `*.lzfeune, shaped at the laa'se to r'igage'th usual horngear Yor like mechanism, vbearings :for bobbin at the lower par-t of E-lffe lTrame, Springe operated friction members 'for the Alsc'bbin flanges, means rer trifppins the `friction members to release the bobbin, and la sliding weight in `the trame carrying at Lcach side a deeply-grocveii roller, which, at the lowermost position fits 'on to a rmfe'tlon 'block for gripping the wire. The upper part lvof the 'carrier has a .pair ci rollers njk spindles, to 'co-'operate witnthose anche rising and falling part, and also has a final 'd'- nvey'fgidefcrdie. n

in other Jembolirnents ofthe invention, the tension udevice is a Weight-box, instead o'f' 'a Spring, land lfthe bbloliiin "is narranged 'at a l-'ligher "of the carrier, the weight-'box lmoving the traversing guides or rollers up and down .below the -b'bbbim n'd co-operating with Va, fixed interffedi'a't'e roller adjacent the bobbin; or alterna tively, Vjthe tension device is provided ybye,l move-ble arm, loaded 'bye spring or weight, such allineare-v ry'lngAfa pair of :guide pulleys or rollers to reoeiv'e the wire -from a iixed pul-ley on the 'frame and deliver it tothe :m-aohi-ne, ythe 'wire passing over an intermediate roller fixed to the frame, in Fits passage v:from one to the Y'other of theilleis on themm.

:neither or tnesefalternatives, the intermediate roller or iollers may =be movable against spring di Weight :resistance instead of heilig ion la aids.

,As above stated, springs are `son'retimes ferna ployed 'to increase the tension, and die drag' el feet 'from ith-'ese 'springs increases 'as 'the springs are boinpre'ssed, 'thereby resulting' in an uneven torsion, :steaming to the anroun of wire or vtime from the rising and falling tene sien-mimica v 1 "of the invention compri-se r The present invention has a further object, the provision of means for relieving the bobbin of the increased tension as the tension spring be comes compressed.' yAccording togthi's feature of. the invention,' the friction members engaging the bobbin are adapted to be released therefrom ber at a predetermined part of its upward 'mbve ment, thereby easing the frictionmembers from fg, 21icarrytdeeply-grooved rollers 29, externally of representative the bobbin.

In the -accompanying drawing,

tension, making removal and replacement of the bobbins more easy.

Slidable within the said tube 8 and surrounding the rod is' al'sliding embe r support 26,

having t"dat-"sided bosses 25d" t6' sl1de iin' the slots ,8a of the tube and having a short stud or axle and re-engaged therewith by a rising an-d falling i member, and the rising and fallingtension'devicef f is arranged to engage with and raise such Amemforms of these several embodiments of the' invention are illustrated: Fig; 1 is a vertical section the improved carriers; and

Fig. 2 is a side View of the same; 3 is a diagrammaticperspective View show# ing the arrangement of bobbin, `guide- 'rolle'rs and tensioningmeans of Figs. land 2 -indiagrammatic form, whilst l" y l Figs. =.4 and are similarviews'-tolig;` Sibut showings. third form of the invention; -l' Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing an addition for relieving tension. Referring rst to Figs. 1 and 2, the lower-part ofthe carrier is inthe form of an open-sided substantially-rectangular frame, having'basel I, sides 2 and 3 and top 4, there bengbelowthe base I a vertical web 5, horizontalrflange 6. and vertical stud 'I to t the usual'track and: engage the horn-gear (not shown).. Rising-from' the centre of the top 4 of the fraine, isa tubular-part 8 slotted longitudinally at twoi` diametrically oppositepoints, to provide slots 8a and the topiof this tube 8 is. embraced by `a `split:cap 9,'-which also serves as a clamp and which hasv an extended bossIIl hereinafter referred to again-*fv f Co-axial within the slotted t be 8 -'s a; solid rod I I the lower part of whichscrews into azcrossf member -I2, within ancl extending' .beyondllthe sides of the'said frame, whose outer ends carry small rollers I3 to t slots Idfin' inclined levers I5 "pivota1ly connected by their upper-ends at I6 to the top part 4 'of the frame. The lower; ends of vthese levers I5 are' pivotally connected respectively to'thrust members I1 slidable transversely in the side walls 2 and 3 of the frame, and carrying on their inner faces pads I 1a ofv friction material to engagethe outer sides'of the bobbin flanges I8. Eachfbobbinfi's formed with'a short bossA I9 at the centre of "each end, one '-of which bosses fitsk an `aperture20 infone side of the frame andthe other ofwhicli rid'es up' a spring-actuate`d catch lever2 I ,into an -ap'ei' ture 22, in the other side of the frame, whereiit isheld until such catch lever 2lA is'depressed' manually. The said pads I'Ia of' friction material are of crescent or like shape `(see Fig. 2)' t'o en gage the bobbin over a substantial area.i f The said rod Il Within the slotted tube 8 has alprojecting shoulder- 23near its uppenend'be-L tween which shoulder and a bush 9a held in -place by the said cap 9 is `a compression spring.'24, tending todepress the rod II and thereby, through member I2, draw the inclined .levers I5 together and force the friction pads Ila on tothe bobbin faces to retardfthe bobbin and help .to create a tension inthe wire. Howeventhereis pivotally connected tothe rod II, aboyethesaid cap 9, a finger-operated carn or trip member 25,

through one formL of which, in one position raises the rod against the pressure of the spring 24 and 4 thereby withdraws the brakes I'Ia from the bobbin, toreleasethe.

21 growing out of each such boss. A further compression-'spring 28 encircling the rod II operates between this sliding member 26 and the 10 thetnbe I8, these being mounted on self-lubricating lbushes 29a or the, like, and being held in place by spring washers 291), cotter pins orutxhe like; Secured Vto the Jtop portion 4- of j the `said frar'neare rubber'orlike blocks'v 30', Witltjaperd upper faces to fit intov and engage thegrove's-of the' roller`s`29 when'A the slidingmembe islin the `lowermos't position, thereby-"preventing the springing of the loose wireovertlie fiangesof` the rollers.` n y f y fCarried bythe saidcap 9,'` lon-fanaxis at rightd angles Y (in plan) tofthat ofthe said rollers29g-is' a` pair' of similar rollers 30 (see Fig.- 2l y"also: ori self-lubricating bushes and" also -held inf place 'by spring` iwashers, cotter pins, y or the like; '.whilst mounted on needle bearings in the said projecting' boss Ill, is a 'swivellingisupport 3|?y with hollow stem 32,' thisfsupportlcarrying a? quick-thread cone die 33fo`r likedelivery memben-fromwhich' the Wire is passedl on to the machine (riot-shown):v In use, the wirepasses upwardsfrom the bobbin to one ofthe rollers 30 on'the cap 9, from thence to one ofthe rollers 29 on thefsliding memberlor support 26, then upwards again`r tothe other roller 30 on thecap 9,- down to the second roller 29r'on the sliding member. or support 26 and from thence upwards; through the" tubularr-stemw32 offt-he swivelling; guide 3| landI to: .thecone'fdier 33V .fItwill be seenthat there is a doublepurchaseifarrangement. of theA Wire, .the sliding 'member ror support 2B being-carriedfby two';floops,."sothat forwon'e unit of movement rof the-sliding'rn'em'- ber', or' support,y four units-of vvireLare releasedi The arrangement of the-wire is showny diagram;I maticallyin Fig. 3. f l

i Referrngnow to- Fig.` 4,- the bobbin A(shovvnfdi: agrammatically) Yis removably-held in the :carrier ator-nearthe upper parti of the carrier,-=and;bez low the'bobbin is a 'weight box 34 ofusualrfo'rm, having recesses 34a to move on verticaliguides. (not shoWnX- suchbox-ZM carrying a pair. ofparak-l lel spindles 35, one near eacli,end,.each -ofswhiclft spindles carries a pair ofguide rollers 36. The wire passesfrom the bobbin downwards toga guide roller 35 on one such spindle 3 5, from .thence herir4 zontally to the `corresperiding guide rolleryon the other v` spindle 35, from 1 thence iupwards to a guide roller 3'I ona fixed axis near-thebobbint butin a direction at right angles tothatothe bobbin, from thence downwards yto `the other, guide roller 36 on the second-named spindle 7.35; and iinallyI to lthe corresponding guide roll e1f ,96 on the firstnamed 4 spindle ..35 andlL- upwards thmu'gh, Ethe delivery. eye Stimme. machine-fes theprevious .examplev- (Figs. 1 and 2) there,- are four eontractible lengths ,of wiretbetweentthe b obbin andthe Aguide rollers 36, se; that .one incrementr of movement of the.weight-boir- 15MV means four increments ofzwvirey passedeon; on

arm 38 moved in the downward direction by a compression spring 39, one end of this lever arm carrying two co-axial guide rollers 40. The wire in this case passes upwards from the bobbin to a guide roller 4| on a xed axis 42, from thence to one of the guide rollers 40 on the end of the pivoted arm 38, then upwards to another guide roller 43 on the fixed axis 42 and finally, to the other guide roller 40 on the pivoted arm 38 and then on to the delivery eye 33.

Other arrangements of guide rollers could be provided so related to the bobbin that the movements of the tension device are multiplied in the change of length of the wire held by them.

Other features of the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2 relating to the bobbin-holding means, and the prevention of loose wire springing over the roller anges will, of course, be adopted where required, with the constructions of Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring finally to Fig. 6, the axle 21 of one of the pulleys 29 has an upstanding arm 44, drilled vertically to receive as a sliding fit the screwed lower end of a push rod 45, which rod carries an externally-tapered nut 41 by which the height of rod 45 in the arm 44 may be adjusted. The upper end of push rod 45 enters a hollow sleeve or guide 46, above which is the trip lever 25 for releasing the tension members I1 from the bobbin anges. As the sliding member 8 is raised by the wire, and the spring 28 becomes more and more compressed, with resultant increase of tension, the push rod 45 eventually raises the trip lever 25', thereby operating parts Il, I2, I5 and I1 to reduce or eliminate the drag on the bobbin. This counter-acts the increased eiect of compressed spring 28, and makes the tension more uniform over the whole movement of sliding part 8. By adjusting the nut 41 on the rod 45, the time at which the trip lever 25 is lifted may be varied. The broken lines show the parts in the raised position. It is -to be understood that the bobbin, brake, rectan-V gular frame, etc. as disclosed in Figure 1 of the drawings also forms a part of the construction illustrated in Figure 6. These parts have been omitted from the drawing solely in order to illustrate the elements in enlarged detail.

What I claim is:

1. A bobbin carrier for a braiding machine comprising a base, an upright extending from said base, co-axial guide pulleys at the top of said upright, other co-axial guide pulleys slidable along said upright, their axis being generally at right angles to the axis of the rst-named guide pulleys, means on the base below said upright for removably holding a bobbin, frictional braking means tending to restrain rotation of the bobbin, spring means tending to drive the said slidable guide pulleys to the bottom of said upright, an outlet guide in line with one of the slidable guide pulleys and means for releasing the braking means to facilitate removal and insertion of the bobbin.

2. In a bobbin carrier for a braiding machine, a support for the bobbin, an outlet guide for the material drawn from the bobbin, xed guide pulleys and movable guide pulleys forming a takeup and give-out system between the bobbin and the outlet guide, means for exerting a braking eiort on the bobbin, and means operated by th movable guide pulleys for reducing such braking effort as the said system becomes exhausted.

3. A lbobbin carrier for a braiding machine comprising a holder provided with spring latches to receive the bobbin by a snap action, a guideway extending from the holder and a slide on such guideway, guide pulleys on the slide and on the guideway generally at right angles to each other, spring means for separating the pulleys on the slide from those on the guideway, and spring urged means for applying friction to the bobbin, with means for relieving the bobbin of such friction to facilitate removal thereof 4. A bobbin carrier for a braiding machine comprising a vertically-disposed open rectangular frame, supports for the bobbin within such frame, a slotted tube extending upwardly from such frame and closed at the top end, a slide in such tube extending through the slots and carrying guide pulleys outside the tube at opposite sides thereof, a split clamp secured on the top end of the tube, guide pulleys carried thereon at opposite sides thereof, such pulleys being on an axis generally at right angles to that of the pulleys on the slide, a slidable rod within the tube, a brake mechanism for the bobbin connected at the lower end of such rod, a linger lever on the top of the tube for lifting such rod to release said brake mechanism, spring means in the tube to move the slide to the lower end and further spring means to urge said sliding rod to braking position.

5. A bobbin carrier according to claim 3, wherein the slide co-operates with the bobbin-relieving means, as the pulleys on the slide approach those v on the guide, to relieve the friction of the bobbin accordingly.

6. A bobbin carrier according to claim 4, wherein the slide in the slotted tube carries an extension to engage the linger lever after a pre-determined rise of the slide, and thereafter to lift the sliding rod and release the bobbin proportionally to the further rise of the slide.

7. A bobbin carrier according to claim 4 wherein the slide in the slotted tube carries an extension to engage the finger lever after a pre-determined rise of the slide, and thereafter to lift the sliding rod and release the bobbin proportionally to the further rise of the slide, and means on the frame to engage the guide pulleys on the slide when in the lowermost position to trap the material lying around such pulley.

8. A bobbin carrier according to claim 2, having a frame to enclose the support for the bobbin, an upstanding post thereon carrying the fixed guide pulleys at its upper end, a pivoted lever `carrying the movable pulleys and spring means operating on such lever to separate the movable pulleys from the fixed pulleys for take-up purposes.

9. A bobbin carrier according to claim 2, having the movable pulleys carried on a Weight box, means for guiding the weight box vertically and means locating the bobbin support vertically above the weight box adjacent the fixed guide pulley.

BEN CARTER.

No references cited. 

